The competition is limited to UA students, both undergraduate and graduate

The collection must be personally owned by the student and may consist of a variety of formats, but 80% of items should be soft and hard cover books.

A short essay, not to exceed 500 words, describing history, content, scope, and significance of the collection, must accompany each entry.

An annotated bibliography of up to ten titles in the collection must accompany each entry, each annotation not to exceed twenty-five words.

Guidance on how to format bibliographic entries can be found in A Manual for Writers of Term papers, Theses, and Dissertations, by Kate Turabian (a copy can be found in all libraries at LB2369 .T8)

Along with an application (see below), submit a selection of books in collection (a sample of six books), the written essay (not to exceed 500 words), and the annotated bibliography (up to 10 titles). The essay and annotated bibliography should be prepared in electronic format as a Word document and submitted as an e-mail attachment to ymixon@bama.ua.edu not later than 5:00 p.m. on March 25, 2011. At the time you file the application, deliver a selection of six books from your collection to Yvonne Mixon in the University Libraries Administrative Office on the 2nd floor of Gorgas Library.

A team of highly qualified judges from the Campus and the community, selected by the Dean of Libraries, shall determine the contest winners. The judges reserve the right to not award all prizes. Deliberations of the judges are confidential.

Winning book collections, along with essays and annotated bibliographies will be displayed for up to two months in Gorgas Library. Contestants must pick up their book collections and related materials from Yvonne Mixon in Gorgas Library following the end of the display period on May 30, 2011.

The University Libraries will take all necessary and prudent measures to care for contestant’s book collections while they are in the possession of the University Library. However, the University Libraries and its staff will not be responsible or liable for loss or damage to these materials.

A reception to announce and honor the contest winners will be held in Room 205 Gorgas Library at 11 am on Wednesday, April 13, 2011. Prizes will be awarded at this event. Contest winners are expected to attend this ceremony.

Prizes

Contestants will be judged in two groups, undergraduate students and graduate students, with the contest winners in each group receiving cash prizes of $500 for 1st place, $250 for 2nd place and $100 for 3rd place. All winners will receive a one-year complimentary membership in the Rotunda Library Society.